PRESS-UPS ARE one of the oldest and best fitness tricks in the book.

They’ll hit your arms, shoulders and back muscles and a good number of sets should leave you reeling.

What’s more is they can be done anywhere, with no equipment required.

But have you developed bad habits over the years? Do your muscles know exactly what’s coming when you drop to the floor? Are you no longer in pain afterwards and have gains started to dwindle?

If so, it’s time to change the routine and go for some variations which are far, FAR harder than what you’ve been accustomed to up until now…

One-legged push-ups

• Drop to the floor and bring your arms slightly wider than shoulder width apart. This is your starting position.
• Now, slowly lower your chest to the floor and raise one leg.
• Return to starting position.
• Repeat the movement with the opposite leg.
• Do 6 of each for one set. Do 3 sets.

Clap push-ups

• The starting position is the same as the above.
• Now, slowly lower your chest to the floor, hold for a second, inhale and then push yourself upwards as hard and as high as you can, bringing your hands together for a moment before returning to the starting position.
• Repeat 10 times for one set. Perform 3 sets.

For more info on clap push-ups, see here.

Narrow push-ups (okay so we totally made that name up)

• Instead of your arms being slightly wider than shoulder-width apart bring them closer together.
• Bend your elbows and ensure they touch your chest when you drop down. This variation really targets the tricep muscles as well.
• Hold for a moment at the lowest point and return to the starting position.
• Perform 12 reps in each of three sets.

Why not do these Monday, Wednesday and Friday and notice the change over a one-month spell? We guarantee you’ll wonder what you were doing beforehand!

Originally published Tuesday at 8.15am

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